U.S. patent number 5,450,871 [Application Number 08/335,321] was granted by the patent office on 1995-09-19 for method of making a magnetically linked multi-valve system.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Marotta Scientific Controls, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert H. Reinicke.
United States Patent |
5,450,871 |
Reinicke |
September 19, 1995 |
Method of making a magnetically linked multi-valve system
Abstract
The invention contemplates a method of making a valve body for a
magnetically actuated twin-valve system, wherein the valve body
comprises a body block of three relatively thick slabs vertically
bonded to each other and to the consolidated height of their
combined thicknesses, the first and lower most slab being of
non-magnetic material, the second and intermediate slab being of
magnetic material, and the third and uppermost slab being of
non-magnetic material; the method comprises the steps of (a)
inertia-welding said slabs to each other; and (b) machining first
and second spaced valve-member guide bores through said second and
third slabs and through at least a portion of said first slab, with
a valve-seat opening at the otherwise closed lower end of each bore
of said first slab and with independent lateral-access inlet-port
communication with the respective bores in said first slab.
Inventors: |
Reinicke; Robert H. (Mission
Viejo, CA) |
Assignee: |
Marotta Scientific Controls,
Inc. (Montville, NJ)
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Family
ID: |
22718678 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/335,321 |
Filed: |
November 7, 1994 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
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194722 |
Feb 14, 1994 |
5404908 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
137/15.19;
137/315.03; 137/595; 251/129.15; 251/367 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K
11/04 (20130101); F16K 11/14 (20130101); F16K
31/0658 (20130101); Y10T 137/0497 (20150401); Y10T
137/5987 (20150401); Y10T 137/87161 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
F16K
31/06 (20060101); F16K 11/14 (20060101); F16K
11/02 (20060101); F16K 11/04 (20060101); F16K
11/10 (20060101); F16K 031/06 () |
Field of
Search: |
;137/15,315,595,884
;251/129.15,367 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hepperle; Stephen M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hopgood, Calimafde, Kalil &
Judlowe
Parent Case Text
This application is a division of original application Ser. No.
08/194,722, filed Feb. 14, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,908.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. The method of making a magnetically actuated twin-valve system,
wherein the system comprises a body block of three relatively thick
slabs vertically bonded to each other to the consolidated height of
their combined thicknesses, the first and lowermost slab being of
non-magnetic material, the second and intermediate slab being of
magnetic material, and the third and uppermost slab being of
non-magnetic material, said body block being configured with two
spaced upstanding and upwardly open guide bores on axes defining an
upstanding vertical plane of symmetry, each of said bores defining
in said first slab a separate valve-chamber wall with a valve-seat
formation and outlet passage through an otherwise-closed lower-end,
said first slab being further configured with two independent
pressure-fluid inlet passages each of which communicates with one
to the exclusion of the other of the valve-chamber walls, two valve
members of magnetic material each of which has an upper cylindrical
portion guided by one to the exclusion of the other of said guide
bores and a reduced lower cylindrical portion in spaced relation to
an associated chamber wall, said valve members being displaceable
between a valve-open upper position and a valve-closed lower
position of valve-seat engagement, and electromagnetic actuating
means including a U-shaped core and having spaced downward legs
that present pole faces located in the guide bores of said
uppermost slab, said pole faces being in confronting relation with
the upper cylindrical portion of each of said valve members, said
method comprising in the construction of said body block the steps
of:
(a) selecting said slab for predetermined thickness and relatively
rough surface texture of the respective adjacent surfaces to be
bonded into consolidation as said body block;
(b) inertia-welding said slabs to each other;
(c) then machining said bores for fitted assembly of said valve
members thereto; and
(d) welding said legs to the uppermost slab.
2. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system of claim 1, in which
the lower end of each valve member carries a poppet element aligned
for valve-seat coaction when in the valve-closed position.
3. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system of claim 1, in which
spring means concentric with each of said axes compressionally
preloads each valve member in reaction with its confronting pole
face for resiliently setting the valve-closed position in the
absence of exciting said electromagnetic actuating means.
4. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system of claim 3, in which
for each valve member said spring means is a coil spring retained
in an upwardly open bore in the valve member.
5. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system of claim 3, in which
for each pole face said spring means is a coil spring retained in a
downwardly open bore in the pole face.
6. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system of claim 3, in which
for each valve member said spring means is a coil spring retained
in an upwardly open bore in the valve member, and in which each
said pole face has a downwardly open bore in retaining relation
with the upper end of said spring means.
7. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system according to claim
1, in which each of said spaced downward legs is secured to said
uppermost slab.
8. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system according to claim
7, in which said legs are welded to said uppermost slab.
9. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system according to claim
1, in which slabs are in interia-welded bonded consolidation to
each other.
10. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system according to claim
1, in which said axes are inclined in said plane and at equal and
opposite angles from a geometric normal to the uppermost slab.
11. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system according to claim
1, in which said body block is further configured with a
transversely extending through-passage open to external ambient
atmosphere and (1) on an alignment transverse to said plane of
symmetry and (2) continuously exposed to the bonded adjacent
surfaces of said first and second slabs and (3) intermediate said
valve-chamber walls.
12. The magnetically actuated twin-valve system according to claim
11, in which said through-passage is one of two, the second of said
through passages being similarly disposed except for continuous
exposure to the bonded adjacent surfaces of said second and third
slabs.
13. The method of making the magnetically actuated twin-valve
system of claim 1, which method comprises selecting said slabs for
predetermined thickness and relatively rough surface texture of the
respective adjacent surfaces to be bonded into consolidation as
said body block, inertia-welding said slabs to each other, then
machining said bores for fitted assembly of said valve members
thereto, and electron-beam welding said legs to the uppermost
slab.
14. The method of claim 1, in which the welding of step (d) is
electron-beam welding.
15. The method of making magnetically actuated twin-valve system,
wherein the valve body comprises a body block of three relatively
thick slabs vertically bonded to each other and to the consolidated
height of their combined thicknesses, the first and lowermost slab
being of non-magnetic material, the second and intermediate slab
being of magnetic material, and the third and uppermost slab being
of non-magnetic material, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) inertia-welding said slabs to each other;
(b) machining first and second spaced valve-member guide bores
through said second and third slabs and through at least a portion
of said first slab, with a valve-seat opening at the otherwise
closed lower end of each bore of said first slab and with
independent lateral-access inlet-port communication with the
respective bores in said first slab;
(c) selecting and installing valve members of magnetic material for
guidance in the respective bores;
(d) selecting electromagnetic actuating means including a U-shaped
core having spaced downward legs that present pole faces located in
the guide bores of the uppermost slab; and
(e) securing said legs to said uppermost slab with said pole faces
in confronting relation with the upper end of each of the
respective valve members.
16. The method of making a valve body for a magnetically actuated
twin-valve system, wherein the valve body comprises a body block of
three relatively thick slabs vertically bonded to each other and to
the consolidated height of their combined thicknesses, the first
and lowermost slab being of non-magnetic material, the second and
intermediate slab being of magnetic material, and the third and
uppermost slab being of non-magnetic material; the method comprises
the steps of:
(a) inertia-welding said slabs to each other; and
(b) machining first and second spaced valve-member guide bores
through said second and third slabs and through at least a portion
of said first slab, with a valve-seat opening at the otherwise
closed lower end of each bore of said first slab and with
independent lateral-access inlet-port communication with the
respective bores in said first slab.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an electromagnetically operated valve
construction, wherein a single magnetic circuit places plural valve
members of magnetic material in series magnetically interlinked
relation, so that a single electrical excitation coupled to the
single magnetic circuit can simultaneously operate the plural
valves and thus simultaneously control independent flows of
separate pressure fluids through the respective valves.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,443,585, 3,472,277 and 4,223,698 disclose various
magnetically actuated valve systems wherein a single
electromagnetic excitation will actuate each of two valve members,
each of which serves its own pressure-fluid flow. In U.S. Pat. No.
3,443,585, a permanent magnet is the common middle leg of two
separate solenoid-actuated magnetic circuits. Excitation of one
solenoid opens both valves; excitation of the other solenoid closes
both valves, and the permanent magnet holds the actuated condition
of both valves. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,472,277 and 4,223,698 each
disclose an electromagnetic actuating system wherein a single
solenoid coil actuates two magnetically linked valves to open
condition, against the compliant action of springs to load valve
members in the valve-closing direction. In all cases, construction
is highly specialized and complex, leading to unduly expensive
products.
BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved
electromagnetically actuated multiple-valve construction of the
character indicated.
A specific object is to meet the above object with a novel
valve-body construction and method of making the same, lending
itself to greater precision in the final product and requiring
materially less manufacture of subassemblies that must be assembled
to each other.
Another specific object is to achieve the foregoing objects with a
minimum number of seals to assure against leakage and/or mixture of
separate pressure fluids that are being independently controlled by
the respective valves of the system.
The invention achieves the foregoing objects by relying upon a
valve-body construction wherein relatively thick non-magnetic and
magnetic slabs are bonded into a consolidated body block, in
laminated alternation, prior to machining the same to serve the
dual-valve purposes of the invention. In the embodiment to be
described, the uppermost slab is non-magnetic, the next-adjacent
slab is magnetic, and the lowermost slab is non-magnetic. Two
spaced guide bores through the body block accommodate movement of
separate valve members of magnetic material; the upper end of each
of these valve members is upwardly exposed in confronting relation
with one to the exclusion of the other pole face of the U-shaped
core of an electromagnet, whereby a single magnetic circuit,
established by the U-shaped core and the valve members, relies upon
the middle slab of magnetic material to complete the circuit by
magnetically linking both valve members. Inlet and outlet flows of
pressure fluid pass through separate chambers formed primarily in
the lowermost slab on the respective guide-bore alignments. Except
for a valve-seat and outlet, each valve chamber is closed at its
lower end, and spring means reacting between the pole faces of the
U-shaped core and the respective valve members normally urge the
valve members into seated, valve-closed coaction with their valve
seats. Electrical excitation is effective to displace both valve
members to valve-open position, against preloaded spring action;
and the preloaded spring action assures valve closure when
electrical excitation ceases.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be described in detail for a preferred
embodiment, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a twin-valve system of the
invention, wherein the section plane is defined by the displacement
axes of the respective valves; and
FIG. 2 is a simplified isometric diagram of valve-body structure in
FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the description which follows, the expressions "upper",
"upward", "lower", and "downward" are used to simplify description
of the orientation shown in the drawings, and it will be understood
that the structure to be described can function in any orientation,
i.e., without the gravitational context that might otherwise be
suggested by such expressions. Also, the expressions "magnetic" and
"magnetic material" will be understood to apply to the property of
conducting magnetic flux, whereas the expressions "non-magnetic"
and "non-magnetic material" will be understood to apply to a
relative inability to conduct magnetic flux.
Referring initially to FIG. 1, the invention is shown in
application to an electromagnetically operated valve of the
normally closed variety, wherein a single electrical winding or
solenoid 10 is excited to concurrently open two valves, by upwardly
displacing their respective valve members 11, 12 from their
valve-closed position shown. A first pressure-fluid passage is thus
opened between an inlet 13 for a first-fluid flow A to an outlet
14, via a valve-seat formation 15; at the same time, a second
pressure-fluid passage is also thus opened between an inlet 16 for
a second-fluid flow B to an outlet 17, via a valve-seat formation
18. Separate preload springs 19, 20 normally urge the respective
valve members 11, 12 to valve-closed position, i.e., in the absence
of electrical excitation of winding 10. The valve members 11, 12
are guided for axial displaceability on axes 21, 22 which define an
upstanding geometric plane and which are oppositely inclined for
convergence in the downward direction. Such convergence is not a
requirement of the invention but it is a useful feature when the
valve is to serve flows of reacting propellant fluids (more
commonly called propellants), such as nitrogen tetroxide (oxidizer)
at A and monomethyl hydrazine (fuel) at B to the combustion chamber
of a rocket engine at B to the combustion chamber of a rocket
engine (not shown), but fitted to receive the separate A and B
discharges via valve outlets 14, 17.
A phantom double-line loop 24 in FIG. 1 schematically indicates the
path of magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit, in response to
excitation of winding 10. As shown, this path is established by a
cylindrical magnetic element 25 which is the central portion of a
generally U-shaped core including two spaced downwardly directed
magnetic legs 26, 27, establishing pole faces 28, 29, each of
which, in the valve-closed position shown, is spaced by a short gap
to the confronting upper-end face of one of the valve members 11,
12. The valve members 11, 12 are of magnetic material, and a
central magnetic part 30 of valve-body structure 31 enables the
valve members and part 30 to complete the magnetic circuit (24)
that is excitable by winding 10.
Each of the valve members 11, 12 is axially elongate, having an
upper portion 33 (34) that is cylindrical, with guided running
clearance within a guide bore 35 (36) centered on one of the axes
21 (22). Cylindrical bores in each pole face 28 (29) confront
opposing cylindrical bores in the upper end of each valve member
for centered location of the preload springs 19 (20). As shown,
each guide bore 35 (36) continues downward to establish a
valve-chamber wall 37 (38) that communicates with the respective
inlet passages 13 (16); and throughout the valve-chamber region
each valve member 11 (12) is of slightly reduced diameter, in
generous radial clearance with chamber-wall structure. The lower
end of each guide bore 35 (36) terminates short of the bottom of
the valve body, except for the valve-seat and outlet-passage
formations previously noted. Finally, the lower end of each valve
member is fitted with a poppet element 39 (40) having sufficient
resilience to assure valve closure at its position of valve-seat
engagement.
Filtering means 41 (42) are schematically shown in the respective
inlet passages 13, 16 for removal of any solid matter which might
impair the fidelity of valve-open, valve-close action in response
to electromagnetic valve-opening actuation via winding 10, or
valve-closing preload actuation via springs 19, 20.
The construction and nature of valve-body structure 31 is an
important feature of the invention and will be discussed in further
reference to FIG. 2 of the drawings.
The body structure 31 is basically a prismatic block comprising
three flat slabs 51, 52, 53 of magnetic and non-magnetic materials
that have been bonded in face-to-face relation prior to machining
of any of the bores or other features of the valve body. In the
construction shown, the first or lowermost slab 51 is non-magnetic
and is relatively thick, sufficient to be machined (after
consolidation with slabs 52 and 53) for definition of the
valve-chamber walls 37, 38, as well as the respective inlet
passages 13, 16 communicating therewith, and the valve-seat and
outlet-passage formations. The second or intermediate slab 52 is of
magnetic material, of lesser thickness that is nevertheless
sufficient to establish the short bridging flux-path connection 30
which completes linkages of the two valve-members in the
magnetic-circuit loop 24. And the third or uppermost slab 53 is
also relatively thick, for stable guidance availability for the
valve members, via bores 35, 36. The three slabs may be bonded or
otherwise permanently consolidated to the block from which body 31
is later machined, but a preference is indicated that these slabs
be initially characterized by relatively rough surface texture and
that they be consolidated by the technique known as
inertia-welding, wherein friction at slab-to-slab interfaces
establishes a permanent fusion of the slabs to each other.
Reference is made to an undated booklet, "Interia/Friction
Welding-Application Principles", available from Interface Welding,
Carson, Calif., for discussion of inertia welding which is not per
se a part of the present invention.
The most important machining operation is the formation of the two
upwardly open bores 35, 36 which serve as valve-member guide bores
in their passage through the second and third slabs 52, 53, and
which serve to provide valve-chamber walls in their limited passage
into the lowermost slab 51. Tooling for this machining will depend
upon hardness properties and tolerance specifications for three
slabs, and EDM machining is well suited to the purposes, including
the formation of a valve seat at the bottom of each of these bores.
The same may be said for the small-diameter bores of outlet
passages 14, 27 and for the lateral boring needed in slab 51 to
provide inlet passages 13, 16, insofar as these passages are within
the body block 31. It is difficult in a single diagram to depict
all details of such machining, but lightly dashed elongate outlines
at 35', 36' between phantom ends 35a, 35b (36a, 36b) can be taken
as suggestive of the valve-guidance portion of bores 35, 36 through
slabs 52, 53; and the lightly dashed elongate outlines at 35", 36"
between phantom ends 35b, 35c (36b, 36c) can be taken as suggestive
of the valve-chamber portion of bores 35, 36, extending well into
the lowermost slab 51.
Before assembly of the U-shaped core (and its winding 10) to the
bored block 31, the respective valve members 11, 12 (which will be
understood to have been separately fabricated) and their preload
springs 19, 20 are assembled to body block 31 via the open ends of
bores 35, 36, and to the point of poppet (39, 40) engagement with
associated valve seats 15, 18.
FIG. 2 also shows magnetic components of the U-shaped core which
must be secured to the body block 31. Each of the spaced legs 26,
27 of this core is seen to comprise a short cylindrical pole-face
region 26', 27', with remaining upwardly projecting leg structure
that is interconnected by the central core element 25 (about which
winding 10 is developed). The lower surface of each pole face
region 26', 27' is truncated at an inclination (see FIG. 1) which
uniformly confronts the slope of the upper end of the valve member
with which it is to react. And counterbores 54, 55 at the upper end
of bores 35, 36 are sized for accurate insertional location of the
pole face regions therein, with the upper ends of springs 19, 20
located in the spring-retaining bores of the pole faces. As seen in
FIG. 1, the pole-face connections to counterbores 54, 55 are
completed and made permanent by peripherally continuous welding,
preferably electron-beam welding, suggested at 56, 57.
Upon thus-welded consolidation of pole-face connections to the
counterbores 54, 55 of the non-magnetic upper slab 53 (it being
understood that winding 10 is incorporated in such consolidation of
its core connections), the magnetic and electromagnetic components,
as well as the fluid passages to be controlled thereby, are
functionally complete. All that remains is complete an enclosure of
the electromagnetic means 10, 25, 26, 27. Such enclosure is shown
in FIG. 1 as a cupped cover 58 having a grooved peripheral flange
for sealed engagement to ledge means 59 of the body block, and this
sealed engagement may be compressionally loaded, as by a peripheral
succession of spaced bolts (not shown). Finally, a preference is
indicated for potting all unused voids within the described
structure, the same being suitably accomplished by a vacuum-induced
epoxy filling 60. And, to assure against the remote possibility of
fluid leakage through an insufficiently bonded slab-to-slab
interface, through-bores 60, 61 open at both ends of the body block
31 intercept the interface between slabs 51, 52 and the interface
between slabs 52, 53, exposing any such leakage to ambient
atmosphere.
The described structure will be seen to meet all stated objectives.
In particular, the described structure and the described method of
manufacture offer important advantages, some of which are listed
below:
1. The so-called "dribble" volume, which is the volume of the
outlet passages 14, 17 and of the connecting inlet passages (not
shown) of any device, such as a rocket engine to be connected to
the bottom surface of slab 15, must be minimized when the described
multi-valve system is used to control the flow of rocket-engine
propellants, in order to obtain high efficiency and highly
repeatable operation of the rocket engine. The present invention
allows outlet passages 14, 17 to be very close together (for
example, 0.350-inch spacing, center-to-center, in a rocket engine
that produces 0.25-lb. thrust). This feature allows the "dribble"
volume of a mating rocket-engine injector to be very small
indeed.
2. The friction or inertia-welding method referred to above is
preferred, for any rocket-engine applications of the invention.
This preference is stated with respect to any other alternative
slab-joining techniques, such as the use of "filler" or "brazing"
material. This preferred method thus specifically avoids any
possible incompatability of a filler material with valve
effluent(s).
3. The two valve members 11, 12 operate with near-simultaneity,
even though one of these members may start to move before the
other, due, for example, to preload tolerances, or pressure
differences, or gap differences at 28/29. The near-simultaneity of
these actions is attributable to the "magnetically linked" relation
of the valve members to the involved magnetic circuit, in that the
force on the lagging member increases or decreases quickly in the
direction to foster simultaneous displacement of both valve
members.
* * * * *